Chris Murphy: “Today we will vote on permanently ending what is perhaps one of the most unfair taxes in the U.S. Tax Code: the tax on…”

“Today we will vote on permanently ending what is perhaps one of the most unfair taxes in the U.S. Tax Code: the tax on marriage. The marriage penalty rose from a 1960s change in tax law to relieve what was perceived as an unfair burden on single taxpayers. At that time, a special deduction was also created to relieve the effects of the marriage penalty. However, during the 1986 Tax Act when Congress reduced all tax rates, a special allowance was repealed for single filers; but the marriage penalty has remained and has existed ever since, with only temporary respite. Today we must end it, permanently. Paying more in income taxes because one is married makes as much sense as paying more for a loaf of bread simply because they chose to be someone's wife or husband. The Tax Code should not discriminate between people who are single and people who are married. When couples say 'I do,' I do not think they were referring to the IRS. We need to be supportive of families in America, not punish them. I urge my colleagues to end this unfair taxation.”